


From This Day Forward

by duplicity



Series: Til Death Do Us Part [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Captivity, M/M, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:15:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24258751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duplicity/pseuds/duplicity
Summary: Outtakes from my story 'Til Death Do Us Part'.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Series: Til Death Do Us Part [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751161
Comments: 20
Kudos: 85





	1. Outtake | Chapter 20: Theodore

**Author's Note:**

> these are outtakes from my story [Til Death Do Us Part](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22009465/chapters/52522348). each chapter is labelled with the chapter that it would have taken place in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this scene takes place directly after harry and voldemort’s conversation in the woods outside of the manor, where voldemort gives harry photographs of ron and hermione.

Narcissa came by a few hours later, knocking on the door and waiting patiently to be allowed inside. Voldemort was reminded that today was the day of her usual visit with Harry. He had never ordered her to desist with her reports, and so she continued to deliver them, like clockwork, on a weekly basis. 

“Enter,” he called out.

“My Lord,” she said in greeting, parchment scroll in hand as she stepped into the room.

“Have a seat, Narcissa.”

She settled into the chair opposite him and deposited her scroll onto the desk. Voldemort made no move to reach for it. Instead he waved a hand, wandlessly nudging it out of the way for the time being.

“How was your visit?”

“It was the same as usual, my Lord. Did you have any particular concerns?” Her question lacked overt inflection, but Voldemort had no doubt that it was targeted. She and Harry must have spoken at length, and Harry’s change in temperament must have tipped her off as to what had gone on in the woods.

“No,” he said.

Narcissa hummed thoughtfully. “I see. So did you wish to speak to me about something else? Something other than Potter?”

Voldemort withheld a grimace, keeping his face neutral as he pretended to think. “Now that you have brought this to my attention, Potter did seem… rather upset. Earlier today.”

“Mhmm,” said Narcissa.

So Voldemort laid out the entire sordid story, stony-faced and level-toned, and Narcissa merely listened, nodding and making sympathetic noises.

When it was all said and done, Narcissa straightened, somber. “My Lord, would you permit me to make a suggestion?”

Voldemort was at a loss for what to do at this point, and whatever she suggested could have some merit. “You may.”

“Next time such a… situation… occurs? Comfort him.”

“Comfort?” Voldemort repeated. “You expect me to—” He rose to his full height, offended. “I think you must be mistaken, Narcissa. I will not _apologize_ —”

“Not an apology.” Still calm, still seated, Narcissa shook her head. “Comfort him, my Lord. He misses his friends. The photos were a welcome gift, but they have wrought as much pain as they have happiness.”

Voldemort exhaled, anger deflating. “So further photographs would worsen the issue.”

Narcissa paused, then said, “The solution is not to provide more of the same, my Lord.”

“Comfort,” Voldemort muttered. Then he sneered. “What sort of comfort do you expect me to provide?”

“Talk to him about it.”

“He said—”

“I know what he said. My Lord, Potter does not have… the largest social circle. He likely feels burdened by his problems, that he has no one to turn to. You are—you are his most trusted confidant, I am sure. You are best situated to help him with his grief.”

Voldemort settled back into his chair, now pensive. “That is true.”

Narcissa’s face twitched. “Yes. Does this help, my Lord?”

“It does. You are dismissed.”

As she vacated the room, Voldemort pivoted his chair to gaze at the other desk in the room—Harry’s desk. There was some thinking to be done about this.


	2. Outtake | Chapter 25: Perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this scene would take place at any point during chapter 25; voldemort is stressed about nagini and is taking it out on everyone else. harry, the only person aware of nagini's failing health, realizes what it must look like from the outside.

“Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Theodore deposited a folder onto Harry’s desk. “Been busy. The usual. Department Head of Magical Transportation isn’t only a fancy title.”

Harry tilted his head to the side, just a bit. “You deserved it, though. The promotion.”

“I did.” Theodore lifted his eyes to meet Harry’s, adding, “But I’m thankful for it nonetheless.”

The bittersweet aspect of the statement was clear. Harry was sure that, without his friendship with Theodore, Voldemort would have never seen fit to move Theodore out from under Barty’s jurisdiction.

“You’ve been doing well, is that right?” Theodore asked, and this time it was concern that Harry was picking up on. “I’ve heard things have been stressful lately.”

Stressful, yes. But not for him in particular. Harry frowned, opened his mouth to say that everything was fine—

Only then it occurred to him that no one else was privy to what went on in the manor. It was a reasonable assumption to make that if Voldemort was mistreating his followers, he was also mistreating Harry.

“I’m fine,” Harry said deliberately. “I’m doing my best to manage the workload. How’s everyone else doing? I assume you’re still in touch with the gossip channels despite your busy schedule?”

“Coping,” Theodore said in a grim tone. “But we’ll do our best, won’t we? And that’s good enough.”

“Yeah,” Harry said. He didn’t have any reassurances to offer at the moment, unfortunately.

Theodore’s expression shifted to one of understanding. “Take care, then.”

“You, too,” Harry said. He hated how final it sounded. “Take care.”


	3. Outtake | Chapter 32: Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> takes place in chapter 32 (unpublished as of right now), a few months or so before harry and tom return to great britain.

“How are things at the Ministry?” Harry asked, adjusting his kneeling position in front of the fireplace.

Theodore scratched at the side of his face, seeming thoughtful. His hair, streaked handsomely with greys and silvers, translated poorly through the Floo flames, the variance in the shades faint enough that Harry could try and ignore the sight of them. 

Without the regimented schedule of Hogwarts to ground him, Harry had lost track of time. They had not been here at the manor in years, but the  _ number _ of years? Harry was less sure of that. He could not quite recall when they had begun to travel.

“Things are well,” Theodore said. “Does the Dark Lord not keep you informed?”

Harry shifted his weight again. “I don’t ask after it, and he doesn’t offer. But I think he trusts you and Barty to handle it.”

“Ah, some feedback at last!” Theodore said, injecting levity into his tone. When Harry failed to smile, however, he sobered and added, “He does express disapproval when someone makes a mistake, but it’s hard to tell if we’re doing a good job of things or not.”

“I’m sure you are,” Harry said. “How’s Scorpius?”

“He’s well, I should think. He asks after you, when our Lord calls on him.”

Harry felt a swoop of guilt in his stomach. “I write,” Harry said weakly.

Theodore offered a half smile. “Not often enough, according to him. And you’ll hear the same sentiment from Astoria and Lady Malfoy, if I’m being perfectly honest. But it’s your decision, Harry. I can respect it. You have to do what you’re most comfortable with.”

Harry sighed, ran a hand through his hair. “You’re always so… so composed? You know that? You’re always so put together. I don’t know how you do it. I always feel like I’m doing something wrong.”

There was a long stretch of silence. Harry had to check to make sure the Floo was still connected, that Theodore’s image hadn’t suddenly frozen in place. But the Floo was fine. It was only the near-silent crackling of the logs that let Harry know their conversation was ongoing.

“Harry,” said Theodore, in a voice so low that Harry had to strain to hear it. “I’m hardly as composed as you think I am. I’ve only gotten good at hiding it away. Trust me when I tell you that’s not the better choice.”

“That’s not true,” Harry protested. “You always know what to do, what to say to make me feel better, and you—” He stopped, his train of thought suddenly escaping him. 

There was a chasm full of unspoken words between them, things Harry had always wanted to say but never gotten the chance to, and Harry had just sent himself tumbling into it by mistake.

“You’re a much stronger person than I am,” Harry finished lamely.

Theodore smiled, this time with the fullness of his lips, his eyes alight with the admiration, and Harry felt that maybe his message had gotten across after all.

“You’re the bravest man I’ve ever known,” Theodore said kindly. “In my lifetime, I could only hope to achieve half the strength that you’ve shown. I don’t know who you see yourself as, but in my eyes, Harry, you will always be a hero.”

**Author's Note:**

> find me & my writing updates on tumblr [here](https://duplicitywrites.tumblr.com)!
> 
> feel free to join my personal discord server for my writing [here](https://discord.gg/BJRP4A5)!


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